What’s the plural of “hoof”?
Plurals should not be so complicated a concept in English grammar. The regular rule is to attach an -s to the end of the noun to form the plural. For nouns that already end with -s, we add -es, like bus → busses, dress → dresses.
Hoof, like shelf and self, ends with -f. For the most part, with nouns that end in -f, we switch the suffix to -ves.Hoof turns to hooves, shelf → shelves, self → selves, and so forth. This is an irregular form, since it doesn't use the standard s/es.
As an English (originally German) plural, hoof accepts both the standard and nonstandard forms; i.e., hoofs and hooves. Hooves is much more common today, while hoof was more frequent historically.
As a rule of thumb, it’s best to stay consistent in writing as a form; so stick to one plural in practice.
Is hoof a regular or irregular plural?
Technically speaking, a horse's hoof is both a regular and irregular plural noun form, since it hoofs and hooves are accepted plural forms of hoof. That said, hooves is an irregular plural form, since it ends in -ves. Most singular nouns that end in -f or -fe modify to -ves in their plural forms. See the following chart of irregular plurals:
New English Language Learning Tips: to all my new English language learners reading this blog, English is a peculiar language. Stick around, and be patient with yourself while you learn the grammar at your own pace.
Other similar nouns
Each of these noun forms have in common is that they swap vowels with another vowel to demonstrate that there are more than one. This is an effect of the I-umlaut, which is brought down from the Germanic languages (which is what mainly comprises Modern English.)
Hoofs/hooves, shown in sentence examples
| Noun: hoof | Example sentences |
|---|---|
| hoof (singular) |
The horse had a stone caught in its hoof. Each hoof print in the mud told a story of the trail. A single, loud clatter of a hoof echoed in the quiet stable. |
| hooves (plural) |
The sound of galloping hooves grew louder as the herd approached. The blacksmith carefully trimmed all four of the pony’s hooves. Goats are known for their nimble hooves, which allow them to climb steep mountains. |
Etymology of the word hoof/hooves
Old English hof “hoof,” from Proto-Germanic hōfaz.
Practice: Hoofs vs. hooves
The blacksmith is fitting new shoes onto the horse’s ______.
The horse had a stone stuck in its left front ______.
We could hear the sound of ______ clattering on the cobblestone street.
A deer’s ______ is split into two parts.
The cattle left prints from their ______ in the mud.
Yash, D. "How to Use Hoof Plural (Explained, Examples & Worksheet)." Grammarflex, Sep 27, 2025, https://grammarflex.com/hoof-plural/.
